Stepping into Spring and Stitching

Hello Friends

Gosh in these times a week is screaming through so quickly – it is now a week

into September and well past time to update you on the life in lockdown.

I have joined Steptember, a charity program encouraging all to walk 10,000 steps each day to raise money for Cerebral Palsy.  My work is running with teams of 4 and our team is named Thunder Pandas – random name picked out of a hat by a 5 year old.  That works for me!   I am 12 months out of a knee replacement, so my personal goal is anything over 6000 steps each day will be good.  I started the first 5 days with over 8,000 steps each.  Yesterday I walked around my neighbourhood and looked at gardens.  I found this cute flowering gum – no idea what type, but it was pretty enough for a photo. Today is a rest day and have spent it catching up with technology – weeding out emails etc…  

Stitching and sewing has been busy.  I have been working on the Halloween Quilt – as shown last post and have now finished the top.  This was a methodical process of quilt, rather than organic and I have enjoyed putting this one together - particularly as it is the first one made using my new cutting desk.  I plan to use a simple 2” border on it and bind it using strips from the leftover fabrics.  I’ve lost the intensity to finish this and might move back onto my bee quilt while I figure out the next quilting project.

On the stitching front, I have finished ‘O’ on my Floral Sampler – Oriental Poppy – This is slowly, but surely progressing towards a finish – Only 11 more motifs, so surely I can finish it sooner than 11 months away…. Perhaps as the 2020 Sampler is now winding down, I can increase the rotation time on the Floral sampler. 

I have started the August row of the 2020 Temperature sampler, it is part of this week’s rotation.  I am looking forward now to stitching the end of August and beginning of September because Spring certainly has Sprung, with kookaburras in our garden.

 

I have also made a start on my Christmas Heirloom Tablecloth for the 2019 square.  I’ll reveal the whole design later this month when it is finished.   It is a quick stitch, but there are so many other stitchy things that have a deadline.

 

 

 

One thing that does not have a deadline, are my scrappy hexies, all in a box for when I’m waiting for an appointment, or taking part in an online meeting.  They are growing steadily and when I run out of templates, will have to look at just WHAT I plan to make with them.  

I must also stop rummaging around in my basket of finishes, because I keep finding things that need framing, made into a cushion or similar.  While I have my Halloween fabric out, have found a couple of old Halloween finishes which need contemplation…  I think one will become a cushion and the other a notebook cover.

 

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today – please come back again soon.

Sauntering into the Winter Solstice - Sewing, Stitching and stuff....

Hello again friends,

It's been another couple of weeks to  catch up with.

First of all, if you are looking for the next pattern for the 2020 SAL, I'll be uploading it to its own page again..  Navigate your way through the tabs above to find the June pattern and photos

Last weekend i spent hand sewing some patchwork after watching a sequence of YouTube videos.  I made a cute little owl purse and decorated the back with vintage lace.  I thoroughly enjoyed the entire process and the recipient loved that I spent the time making something for her. 

I also finished the binding on the 1985 quilt, which I've called Procrastination.

I have handpieced the front, and for some insane reason, decided to machine piece a sampler back.  Finally got my act together and quilted and bound the quilt and now it is ready to cover me on the couch or add extra warmth on the bed.  The patch with the cat was planned to be in that position on the quilt, as that was where the ginger cat from my childhood would lie on my bed. 

 The front was hand pieced in 1985 and the back was machine pieced in April this year...  so 35 years in progress.  I'm happy with the binding on the quilt and the decision to round the corners.  Now that it is finished so I can move onto to the next WIP.

As for cross stitching, I've found a unique SAL on a french site.  After accidentally buying some sheepie charts (for 2021 I swear!) I found a facebook fan site where there is a Temperature SAL, using little houses in a range of colours to represent the high and low of each day in a year.  Each house is under 24 stiches and each roof is 9 stitches, so a month will stitch up really quickly.  Most of those I've seen are from France or Italy, a couple are from the USA, but being from Australia, my colours are different.  I'm using this as a test and hope to stitch the same idea in 2021, but using sheep!

A lot of fun stitching to catch up with and a new quilt WIP to get on with...

OH ...nearly forgot...  My TUSAL jar has filled up and although it is a pain to try and capture a good shot with the reflection in the glass,

you can see a lot of floss from the temperature SAL has now been captured.

It's been awhile.... let's sit a spell and chat...

Hello everybody.
Since reviving my blog, it was not my intention to leave it so long between posts.  The last few weeks have been interesting and I seem to have a lot to chat about.
Lets see... what have I got to share..
Quilting
Cross Stitching
Me behind the scenes
The world and the current environment
And in no particular order.

I have blue hair .... and a brand new grandson.  I was due to fly up to Townsville to help look after my Mini-me while her mum was in hospital.  Unfortunately, my flight was 7am Wednesday, and the borders were closed due to COVID-19 at midnight Tuesday.   Lachlan was born 27 March - and I changed my hair to a vivid blue to celebrate.   It is slowly fading, but it is such a lovely shade, I'll be getting it re-done in a few months, in time to visit when the borders are re-opened in Australia.

It's a Buoy!

I made a baby quilt for Lachlan - it is titled "It's a Buoy!"  I had fun creating this quilt - referenced SuzyQuilts Sailboat quilt pattern.
After the quilt was finished, I then used the Just Get it Done tutorial and made an 'After Quilt' 

This I had a lot of fun with and I really like the way the spare sailboat sails now look a bit like bunting. And the border was stitched with prairie points, using the information from Sew Easy tutorial.  It really sets off the whole quilt

The next quilt which captured my attention, as part of my "Finish it off" obsession was a hand pieced quilt.  My first quilt.  

1985 Sampler quilt

detail of hand piecing

I had attended a night school in 1985 and this was the result.  Yep.  1985.  This quilt top has waited since 1985 to be finished.  (35 years....)  Trying desperately not to overthink things.. I failed majestically. 

Batik pieced sampler back

 I started by drawing out 12 patchwork blocks that I thought would look good.   6 basic 9-patches and 6 basic 4-patches. It was my intention to sash it with dark green and border it with the orange fabric... but I changed my mind at the last moment.  The orange fabric will be the binding too when my machine comes home and I can finally quilt it.

I had a load of batik FQ's and using quilt math, with only a few re-do patches, spent time working out the best method of HST that was economical for my fabric reserves.  I carefully pieced and measured and made sashing and borders and now I have a quilt top and bottom for a double-sided quilt.  It is so near completion, but my sewing machine had a hissy fit with all the sewing and is now in the service centre, getting a tweak and a push and shove and a gentle massage before coming back to me next week


This month in cross stitching I had an epiphany in regard to HATS Harriet Salt Sampler.
Firstly I couldn't find fabric which was 'right'.  I found some online and ordered some lovely 32count floss.  When I finally started Harriet in rotation, was happily stitching the first alphabet and got to the end of the fabric before realising I was in error, stitching the design over 2 threads instead of one.  Slightly frustrated, I flipped the fabric over and started again.  I barely got through the 'A' when I realised I was not enjoying the process, nor the look of the result.
I made the decision to stop stitching Harriet.  I may take her back up again another time, or I might make use of various alphabets in other designs.  The floss I will use in another single colour stitch of my own choosing in another time.  I do have a lot of choices of charts.  The fabric should suit another Mirabilia mermaid, or will be put to use on another design.  The time allocated to Harriet in Rotation, I will change to Shores of Hawk Run Hollow.
 

As for the rest of my stitching in rotation... The English Floral Sampler has now completed to N - Nasturtium
I get a lot of pleasure knowing this is growing and I'm now more than half way...


Today is the 20th of the month and my TOL 2020 SAL section for MAY will be updated on the page.  There are a few people stitching this, and it is lovely to see each version and how different but same they all are.

Despite 2020 being extreme circumstances for most people worldwide.  I had earlier this year determined that 2020 was to be a good year for me - I have a new mind-set and am working hard to re-set my work/life balance.  I am one of the lucky ones, I work M-F from 9-5 and that has not changed.  I work for a company which has been determined to be an essential business.  Social Restrictions have meant traveling from home to work and back again, and I've spent most of my home life sewing and stitching.  I have been keeping in touch with my friends and family through phone and video calls.  However, late April, I had a major panic attack, brought on by work stresses from July 18 to Dec 19.  As this has been resolved, it was as if I was wound up and after relaxing, a spring went off be-doinnng!  The bright light in all of this, is finding out my heart is sound and healthy and there is no evidence of a heart attack.  I know the triggers now and after a few after-shocks am healing well with confirmation that the mind-set I started in January.  It did, however, mean that I avoided most social media, including facebook and blogs for a few weeks
I feel much better now and am catching up... hence this lengthy catch up 
If you are still with me... thank you. 

Mid-April weekend of finishes show and tell.

It's been a busy weekend again.
I managed a few other finishes.  First I sorted my batting scraps, and using the inspiration from 'Just Get it Done' tutorial, made up some Frankenbatting. 

All those strips of batting left over from quilting projects, trimmed and stitched together.  It gave me a useful table runner sized piece to use.     

I found a table runner I put together some New Years Day a couple of years ago, after somebody on some Facebook group asked where to get the pattern.  I looked at the picture and figured out the pattern pretty quickly.  The reason this one is special, is that the yellow floral fabric was once a favourite shirt. 

The butter yellow linen was so soft, and when one or two rips became evident, the fabric made its way into my stash.
So it's quilted and bound, tonight I'll be stitching the binding down and tying off all the quilting thread ends.   Then it will make it's way into my gift giving basket.
I also managed to simply quilt the disappearing Shoofly mini quilt - made up last weekend after watching the Friday Missouri Star tutorial.  See, I tend to make their quilts in miniature, because I don't need to make a big quilt at the moment, and I just want to try a new technique.  
This has a recipient and will make it to her home shortly.  I didn't take a picture of the coaster using the same fabric as the binding.
Oh what else do I have to share?   What about some detail of the April TOL SAL.  Check out this blog page on the 20th of each month for the monthly pattern release.  This is the 2nd colourway I've made of this pattern.  I've not updated the lilac version yet.
Who knows what next week holds??  Enjoy your week everybody

February - how my year is progressing

It's been a full-on February
Many birthdays in the month to celebrate, and preparation for a new Grandchild who may show up early (due on 20 March) 

To this end, I've been stitching a quilt - mostly on weekends. 

I selected a free quilt pattern - Ahoy Sailor - online from Suzy Quilts and started with the blocks, these ended up 8" square    
I changed the shoulder blocks and the size of the 'water' blocks under the sailboats, added a strip of sky and found a great border print.   I even made up a buoy block. 

I have therefore titled this one "It's a Buoy!"  So have hung it out on the clothes line (as you do), to take a picture which really serves to show all the seams up well.  When it is quilted, it should be a better photo.  One of the strips of 'water' is full of sharks.

Stitching today, I've been watching you-tube channels and am picking up some great tips to try out - have binge-watched Just Do It Quilts and now that the top is done, (and because I cannot learn to stop before I make quilts too big - its a 60" cot quilt) I"m making an after-quilt for the back - using up as much of the scraps as I can.   I plan to make a prairie point border after watching Sew Very Easy tutorial.
Cutting the border fabric here I am using a vintage hot iron to weigh down the other end of my template - This idea came from watching Donna at Jordan Fabrics

I've been so busy that I now need a new iron!  The teflon coating has given way and is peeling off.  Allan tells me that I can use his, so it's not all that bad.

Embroidery Update for February

I've got my new fabric for Harriet Salt and have so far, only gridded it out ready to start stitching.  

However, due to my plan for the year, tomorrow, I will be back to stitching on the English Floral sampler - I've made a plan and it's only fair that I try to keep to it

• First Week is English Sampler
• Second Week it my TOL mystery Sampler (so I can have it ready for the 20th)
• Third week is Christmas stitching... hmm 2 months down and no Xmas stitching in progress.
• Fourth week is Harriet Salt.
• Weekends and daylight is left for Quilting 

 

Feburary floss, finishes and flusters

 My new grandson is due mid-march, with a possibility of arriving much earlier.  I realised the pattern I wanted to make for his quilt was more in my head than under my machine needles, so have spent the past couple of weekends cutting and preparing a flotilla.
The pattern is Ahoy Sailor from Suzy Quilts.  I've cut enough fabric for two flotillas because I wanted all my sailboats to be different.   This pattern has a lot of reading twice before you cut..... well perhaps I should have in a couple of instances..  grin

I've laid it all out on my bed, I have 18 sailboats, four more than called for the pattern.  I'm working out if I need them all and which ones I want to cull.  I've changed the layout slightly, using a thinner strip of 'water' under the boats.  At least one, if not all the strips of 'water' will be full of sharks.  So with a bit of luck, this quilt top will be finished this coming weekend, ready for quilting.

I've really not done a lot of stitching.. have not caught up much on the English Floral Sampler...  Finished the K - Kniphofia the red-hot pokers, and started on the L - Lily.  That has been put away until the 1st week of March.

2nd week of the month, I work on my TOL 2020 Mystery SAL.  I decided I needed to stitch a second version of my pattern, and this is what I have offered up.  If you want to stitch along with us with this free chart.   There is a link on my page to the chart.

 Week 3 is supposed to be Christmas Stitching.... fell through the cracks because I spent this week after work being a socialite.  Birthday Week started with a birthday dinner with my partner (feb 13) and my son (feb 19). 

We were able to sit on the deck in the summer sunset and enjoy a lovely meal.  Monday night was a scout meeting (I really should get those minutes sent through) Wednesday 19th was a birthday lunch, with Pizza with my workmates.  Wednesday night was also Birthday Dinner at the restaurant my son works at - well it was the only way were were going to see each other for our Birthday.  Bonus points to me - it's a Japanese restaurant and I ate Japanese food including raw fish.  I also finished off a small bottle of Sake (- it tastes like warm gin)  Thursday night was a cub scout Grey Wolf presentation with Friday night being a quiet day at home.  No stitching on the weekend, as Saturday was spent at my girlfriend's home, celebrating 12 months in her new location. 

Sunday, Allan surprised me with tickets to see Chicago.  I had long given up nagging to see it, so was happy to sit in the Gods for the last matinee show.  A bit of a happy sunny walk in the City and suddenly it is Monday all over again.  Tonight it is a catch up for blogging and to re-set my brain...


This week is Harriet Salt stitching.  I ordered and received Murano fabric in a mottled grey.  It is a much tighter weave than the original fabric I started with and I plan to stitch this 32count fabric using one strand over one thread.  I need to spend a bit of time preparing the fabric and finding the place to start, then I'll be working on Harriet this week when home from work.

Closing off 2019 - Making changes and organising for 2020 - and the Hoya

 In 2007, when my Mum passed away, I returned home with a potted Hoya which Mum had set aside for me.  One stem broke off on the way home and I absentmindedly stuck it in a plastic drink bottle of water on the bathroom shelf.  The rest of the plant subsequently died, but the water bottle plant lived on. 
Fast forward to 2013, when I finally put the plant in some earth.  It rewarded me with sudden growth.  In December 2016, I moved house and put this same plant by the front door....well, it certainly LOVES this spot.  This week, about 15 flowerheads are blooming.  It is a darker hoya, but really healthy.

Today I started on my world domination by fabric scraps.  I have started one small group at a time and have ironed out a small handful of recent scraps and am now cutting them into 5", 4" 3.5" 2.5" and 1.5" squares.

The largest then become my own collection of charm squares, the smallest become leaders and enders (I already have a healthy collection of these - the intention is a future postage square quilt)

I have had the time to think this past 24 hours and browse one or two dozen blogs on my long neglected reading list.  I feel that I will set up new pages on this blog to follow the growing list of SAL's for 2020.  This seems to be the logical process.  I might even change the theme or 'look' of the blog.  I like the orange, but want a change, as there really seems to be a change and a time for a lot of new things around me. 

Please bear with me as I initiate these new changes over the next month.  I hope to host one or two SAL's and plan a couple of giveaways too.

Happy New Year!